Unleashing Readers: Helping Students Navigate The World of Books is a new blog developed by Kellee Moye and Ricki Ginsberg. To celebrate their launch week, they have asked some of their friends to talk about some of our favorite books. I didn't realize that this would be stressful. There are so many good books out there and how am I to pick just one for each of these categories. Here is what I picked today, but know that if you ask me in a couple of weeks my choices might change. :-)

My favorite read aloud...

Yes, I am cheating here, but I love reading all three (Turtle in Paradise by Jennifer L. Holm; Al Capone Does My Shirts by Gennifer Choldenko; and Bud, Not Buddy by Christopher Paul Curtis) of these books aloud. Once we finish them, we hold a 1930's party with the food and drinks mentioned in the books and I also introduce the kids to some of the pop culture of the time.

My favorite close read/analysis book...

I fell in love with The Dreamer when I first read it. I wanted my students, many who are Hispanic, to really read and understand this book. I began by reading the picture book, Pablo Neruda: Poet of the People and when we finished with this book we celebrated with a Literacy Café.

My favorite lit circle/book club book...

Both The Word Eater by Mary Amato and Frindle by Andrew Clements center around words and responsibility. The discussions students have with both of these books are fabulous. Especially, as the question about responsibility comes into play. Additionally, both books lead to some wonderful lessons about words and their meanings.

My favorite book for the classroom library...

I am cheating here again. Really, I think anything by Steve Jenkins should be included in an elementary classroom library. His nonfiction picture books are creative and filled with wonderful images and great facts.

My favorite book in general....

My first book that I really read independently and loved was The Secret Garden. As a child, I was very fond of historical fiction especially from the late 1800's and early 1900's. I have read it multiple times even as an adult. In 2012, Ellen Potter wrote a book inspired by The Secret Garden and in a modern day setting called The Humming Room. I loved Potter's version too in a totally different way.